Sen. Bob Menendez is the junior Democratic Senator from New Jersey. Before he joined the Senate, Menendez represented New Jersey's 13th congressional district in the House of Representatives, from 1993 to 2006. Menendez is the first person of Hispanic background to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate. The son of Cuban immigrants, he was born in New York City in 1954 and attended Saint Peter's College and Rutgers, where he received his law degree. After working in private practice, Menendez's first political position was as mayor of Union City, a position he held from 1986 to 1992. He lives in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Ideas recorded on: 9/12/07